Pelt stretcher



G. 5. WEST July 10,1945

FELT STRETCHER Filed Aug. 16, 1943 Patented July 10, 1945 UNITED STATES inrsm OFFICE Claims.

piece of material that may be inserted in a pelt under tension so that the tension. of the stretcher is constantly applied to the pelt. The pelt is previously turned inside out prior to this stretching operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide reenforcement where the principal strain comes,

but at thesame time to provide a device of the present character that is of uniform thickness so that they can be stacked without the stack tipping one way or another.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a pelt stretcher that will substantially conform with the shape of the pelt when placin 'the entire length of the pelt under tension from the neck portion through the body portion of the pelt.

A further object is to provide in a pelt stretcher means to prevent the neck portion of the skin from rolling down upon the shoulder portions of the pelt. I I

My invention also has for its objects to provide such a stretcher that is positive in operation, convenient in use, easily inserted. in a working position, economical of manufacture, relatively simple and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description. However, the drawings merely show and the following description merely describes one embodiment of the present invention, which is given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawing, like reference characters desi nate similar parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a face view of a stretcher embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view of said embodiment, with a broken away section at the top thereof.

Fig. 3 is a reduced perspective of said embodiment.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken on the line 5+5 of Fig. 1.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, the

reference number 8 generally designates a cross portion that connects leg members 6 and 1 to each other. The legs have converging bent ends I2 and I3. The connection portion 8 is of the same thickness as the leg members 6 and 1. as best shown in Fig. 2. However, greater strength is needed in said connecting portion 8. Therefore, additional material is provided at the connecting portion but in order not to increase the thickness, a greater width than thickness is provided, as also shown in Fig. 2. The shoulders connect with the bent ends I2 and I3 by inward curves I4 and I5 arranged back to back.

The shoulder portions 9 likewise have the same thickness as the leg members 6 and I, a like- Wise shown in Fig. 2. However, the shoulder portions 9 have greater width than the leg members B and I but less width than the connecting portion 8. The Width tapers gradually from the center, widest part of the connecting portion 8, to the leg members 8 and l, Whose cross sections are substantially circular. Thi tapering relation, which increases resilience, is afforded from the connecting portion 8 to the leg members 6 and I. The shoulder portions 9 so diverge from each other as to prevent the neck portion of the pelt from rolling down upon the shoulders or body portion of the skin. For the sake of example only and not by way of limitation, the relative proportions of the widths (the widths are shown in Fig. 1) of the connecting portion 8, the shoulders 9 and the legs 6 and 'I are preferably asfollows: the connecting portion 8: inch; the shoulders 9: inch; and the legs: inch. The preferred proportion of thickness to said widths would be to have 5% inch thickness (the thickness is shown in Fig. 2) for the connecting portion 8, the shoulders 9 and the legs 8 and 'I.

In order to reenforce the leg members 6 and I, flanges I8 are provided on the inner faces of said leg members. The reenforcing flanges l0 oppose each other in substantial alignment.

In the use of my present invention, the device has a normal position as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. To insert same into a pelt, it is manually squeezed together, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1. After the stretcher is thus inserted into the pelt, the stretcher is released, whereby the resilience of the present device bears constantly against the pelt stretching same during the drying operation. By reason of the extra material in the connecting portion 8 and the shoulders 9, which extra material acts as reenforcement, and inasmuch as the flanges I0 extend past the bent ends I2 and I3 of the legs, ubstantially the en- Due to the tapering width hereinbefore described, the resilient tension is the greatest at the neck portion and gradually and continuously lessens through the body portion of the pelt, to the end of the legs 6 and I. The shoulder 9 of the stretcher resiliently bears against the neck portion of the pelt, and the leg members exert resilient pressure against the pelt through the extent thereof.

The pressure produced by the present device prevents puckering of the skin and causes the pelt to dry in the proper manner to obtain its greatest value.

While I have illustrated and described what I now regard as the preferred embodiment of my invention, the construction is, of course, subject to modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. I, therefore, do not wish to restrict myself to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but desire to avail myself of all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A pelt stretcher comprising leg members. shoulder members on the leg members, and a cross member connecting the shoulder members with each other, said members being resilient,

tire bend is taken by the inward curves l4 and cross member connecting the shoulder members with each other, the device being resilient and graduating from larger to smaller size from the connecting member to the leg members, but said members being of substantially uniform thickness, for stacking purposes.

3. A resilient pelt stretcher comprising leg members having converging bent ends, shoulder members connecting With the bent ends by means of inward curves arranged back to back, and a cross member connecting the shoulder members with each other, the shoulders being reenforced and the leg members having inward, reenforcing flanges extending through the bent ends to reenforce same, to provide the greatest resilience at said inward curves.

4. A resilient pelt stretcher comprising leg members having converging bent ends, shoulder members connecting with the bent ends by means of inward curves arranged back to back, and a cross member connecting the shoulder members with each other, the device gradually reducing in size from the cross member through the shoulders and to the leg members and the leg members having inward reenforcing flanges extending through the bent ends to reenforce same, to provide the greatest resilience at said inward curves.

5. A resilient pelt stretcher comprising leg members having converging bent ends, shoulder members connecting with the bent ends by means of inward curves arranged back to back, and a cross member connecting the shoulder members with each other, the device gradually reducing in size from the cross member through the shoulders and to the leg members. i

GEORGE S. W'E'ST. 

